The Earth Goddess had prepared for many contingencies. Likewise, although she had laid extensive groundwork, would she really be willing to take such extreme actions unless absolutely necessary? Restarting the cycle of reincarnation and beginning anew was no easy feat.
Even though the one enacting this plan was the Earth Goddess herself, this was still a significant challenge. Because if it came to that, she would be pitting herself against the entire Mythical World and even the world itself.
Despite her status as a Creator God, having surpassed the Ancient Gods, her essence was still tied to that of an Ancient God. Just like how the Chief Gods of the Titans came to exist—their power far surpassed ordinary Major Gods, thus creating a new classification—the same applied to the Earth Goddess. As the deity who created the Mythical World, her power exceeded that of a typical Ancient God, which is why her rank was set apart as that of a Creator God.
But even so... what difference does it make?
Heh...
At the end of the day, she remained an Ancient God, bound by the same limitations. This was enough to ensure that as long as she hadn't transcended the Mythical World itself, she would be under its influence. If she truly initiated the reset, not only would the Mythical World turn against her, but all the gods would be forced to join forces. The success of the reset would be far from guaranteed.
Thus, restarting the cycle of reincarnation was her last resort, even for the Earth Goddess. If she could avoid taking that final step, it would be ideal. If it ever came to that, it would truly be a desperate, do-or-die move, leaving no room for further negotiation.
Hades continued, "Sister, resetting the cycle of reincarnation is the Earth Goddess's last card. She'll only resort to it if she's left with no other choice. As long as there's any chance, she won't go down that road."
Hestia nodded in agreement. "That's true! But, brother, we still need to stay cautious, right? If we get dragged into this mess, it won't end well."
Hades remained calm. "In this Golden Age and Silver Age, there's little chance of that happening. The only real opportunity lies in the Bronze Age, and even then, it's uncertain whether it would succeed."
Hades didn't elaborate further, and Hestia didn't press him for more details. Why? Because she knew very well that this was an extremely dangerous situation. Though she would never betray her brother, it was better not to know certain things.
Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory, dared not easily peer into the memories of the gods of the Underworld. But what if she decided to risk everything and try? It was a possibility. So, for Hestia, it was best to remain unaware. Otherwise, she might find herself in an even bigger predicament.
Hestia understood this clearly, and Hades said nothing more.
Hades' intentions, like the Earth Goddess's, were not much better. While the Earth Goddess sought to restart the Mythical World, endlessly retrying and adjusting her plans, Hades aimed to completely detach himself from the Mythical World or exist in a unique state—neither connected nor disconnected from it.
Only in such a special state could he find true safety.
For this reason, Hades was keenly aware that he could not afford to be careless. If any information about his plans leaked, he would be in as much danger as the Earth Goddess.
Moreover, Hades was nowhere near as powerful or established as the Earth Goddess. If something went wrong, she might still have a chance of survival, but his chances of being abandoned were extremely high. If that were to happen before he had fully matured, the consequences would be dire.
So, Hades and Hestia, the two siblings, continued their quiet conversation. They didn't need to take any immediate action. All they had to do was sit back and watch as the grand play unfolded before them.
...
Meanwhile, in the Sea Realm!
Poseidon's gaze was cold, his voice laced with indifference as he murmured, "Pontos, Mnemosyne, Prometheus..."
"Heh..."
Though Poseidon was laughing, it was eerie, giving off a disturbing vibe.
"The preparation... the schemes... really, it's all quite convoluted. Or should I say, overly complicated? What exactly are you trying to achieve?"
Poseidon admitted to himself that he never expected things to unfold this way. From start to finish, it was a series of unpredictable developments.
Yet, as everything gradually came to light, Poseidon understood just how thoroughly planned out everything had been.
He whispered to himself, "The Sea Realm, the Celestial Realm, both have their pieces in place. But what about the Underworld?"
Poseidon pondered over the situation. Pontos controlled the Sea Realm, Prometheus influenced the Celestial Realm, and Mnemosyne represented the Titan pantheon. But what about the Underworld?
However, from Poseidon's perspective, the Underworld seemed like an impenetrable fortress. There didn't appear to be any issues there.
Hades' situation was unique. His power didn't derive from normal godly might but rather from the transformation of the World Tree. As for the gods who served under the World Tree, everything about them was entirely under Hades' control.
If there were any betrayal within the Underworld?
It would be impossible!
"Hades, did you know about this all along? Or was it just a coincidence?" Poseidon whispered softly, then shook his head and muttered, "It doesn't matter anymore. Whether you were prepared or not, it no longer matters."
"Because I..."
"I've already reached the final step."
"All that's left is to devour."
Poseidon closed his eyes as the shadow before him, once raging madly, grew weaker with every passing moment. It was slowly but surely being completely devoured by Poseidon.
Once the devouring was complete, Poseidon would be ready to advance to the next level!
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